I've read Michener's book on the Chesapeake and market gunning, also the great books by Harry Walsh and Van Campen Heilner-I should think it would require 'big brass ones' to be a punt gunner in the UK-wonder how many gunners went to 'Davey Jones' Locker-ditto our market hunters in battery boxes- Mother Nature doesn't play favorites- you test Her will or laws, on land or sea, She doesn't care if you wear Peel shoes or Thom McAnn's-when She says it's curtains- so long!! I used to hunt ducks from layout boats, closest I ever came to this aspect of waterfowling-when we had the 'point system' in our flyway and scaups (greater and lesser) were a ten point count bird- very tough shooting- our boat carried a battered Browning A-5 12 with a 26" skeet choke ribbed barrel and had a sling clip soldered to the magazine cap-to which a bunjee cord was secured, other end to the gunnels- so the shotgun couldn't be lost- as you can bet your set of Schmidt wooden decoys we wore life jackets-toughest duck shooting I have ever experienced-usually mid-Nov. when the flight birds were down. I like your detailed reply sir- I'll stand for a pint or two of Porter or Stout anytime you like- and pay Homeless Joe no mind- he's harmless, after all- he spells your premiere shotgun Purdy instead of Purdey- has a computor instead of a computer- and even mis-spells the debris that accumulates in his shotguns. I tried to "upscale" his approach to gunning by giving him a favorable price on a Parker Trojan on this site-but somehow the post got deleted- most likely by Gremlins- understand you 'hunt' my namesake over in G.B.- with horses and hounds- Jolly Good!! RWTF
